How much did Joey Chestnut get paid for Netflix Special? Explained

Joey Chestnut, the renowned competitive eater, recently took part in a highly anticipated event that rekindled his long-standing rivalry with Takeru Kobayashi. The showdown, titled Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef, was live-streamed by Netflix on September 2, 2024, and marked the first time the two competitors faced off in 15 years.

The event, hosted by Rob Riggle and Nikki Garcia, was a highlight of Netflix's Labor Day programming and attracted significant attention from fans of competitive eating.

The competition was more than just a battle of stomachs, it was a high-stakes event with a substantial prize. The winner of the contest would walk away with $100,000 and a custom championship belt designed by WWE. After an intense 10-minute showdown, Joey Chestnut emerged victorious, solidifying his status as one of the greatest competitive eaters ever.

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Exploring details on how much Joey Chestnut got paid for the Netflix special

In terms of earnings from this event, Joey Chestnut made a considerable amount, as he was able to take home the $100,000 winning prize and a custom-made WWE belt from the famous wrestler Rey Mysterio. This competition was particularly beneficial to Chestnut not only because of the cash prize but also most importantly due to Netflix itself which provided global audience exposure.

Although the specifics of Chestnut’s overall remuneration package and how much of it will include appearance fees, how much will include bonus clauses, and whether there are bonuses at all were not revealed.

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What was the contest where Joey Chestnut emerged victorious?

The competition, titled Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef, was a one-hour special where Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi went head-to-head in a rematch 15 years in the making. The event was designed to settle the rivalry between the two champions, who have both dominated the world of competitive eating for years.

The contest revolved around the number of hot dogs and buns (HDB) each could consume within a 10-minute time frame, a format familiar to fans of Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.

During the contest, Joey Chestnut ate 83 hot dogs and broke his personal record of eating 82 hot dogs. On the other hand, despite Kobayashi’s commendable effort, he was only able to eat 67 hotdogs in total. The strong competition led to each eater reaching their maximum limits. However, Chestnut managed to emerge as the winner.

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Who is Joey Chestnut?

Joey Chestnut, known as Joseph Christian Chestnut to his acquaintances, is an American professional eater born on November 25, 1983. He is currently the number one ranked player in the Major League Eating (MLE) for the year 2024.

Chestnut gained national attention in 2007 when he won the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, defeating six-time defending champion Takeru Kobayashi by consuming a then-record 66 hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes. This victory marked the beginning of Chestnut's dominance in the competitive eating world.

As years went by, Chestnut broke many records and bagged several championships with the most notable being eight straight Nathan's titles between 2007 and 2014. Chestnut still holds the record for eating 76 hot dogs in ten minutes, a record which he set in the year 2021. He became very famous for his profession particularly after many winning competitive events.

In 2024, Chestnut could not make it to the yearly Nathan’s contest after a sponsorship dispute, this was the first time in more than a decade that he did not attend it. However, winning the Netflix event consolidated his position as the best eater in the world.

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Interested viewers can watch Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef on Netflix.